According to Helal Al Marri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in a recent interview with Bloomberg, the process of opening such a major global tourist center will be carried out gradually, taking into account current trends in the development of the situation around the world.
Tourism is one of the central sectors of the economy of Dubai, generating revenues of hundreds of billions of dirhams annually. Now tourist visas for entry into the country have been suspended, such a measure has been taken since March 17 to prevent the spread of coronavirus and maintain public safety.
But the decision to resume the flow of tourists is quite complicated and cannot be taken at once. When making a decision, both the situation inside UAE and throughout the world will be taken into account. As the Department’s director general said, “Many countries remain closed and it’s more about the bilateral discussion.”
The first steps to open the emirate for tourist activity can be taken within a few months, but the process can stretch until the fall, depending on the current situation for each individual period.
Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus which is causing illness in humans and animals. Most people infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus will feel mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without any special treatment. Older people, as well as those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness, and require immediate assistance. Novel Coronavirus was first identified in a cluster with pneumonia symptoms in Wuhan city, Hubei province of China, quickly spreading around the world. On early March 2020, the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic had officially started, becoming the defining global health crisis of our time. Today, it is the greatest challenge people have faced since World War II, worsened by subsequent lockdowns of whole countries, collapse of entire industries, and a major economic recession.